Friday, January 29, 2016

This baked Reuben dip works so well that you’ll be racking
your brain trying to think of other iconic sandwiches to convert into dip form.
Of course, thanks to the Internet, most of this work has probably already been
done, but something to keep in mind the next time you’re out of things to
daydream about.

I went with pastrami here, but corned beef is more common,
and probably the safer bet. Pastrami is heavily spiced with coriander and black
pepper, and therefor your dip will be too.I love that kind of thing, but something
to consider depending on your audience. No matter what meat you use, you’re going
to be enjoying a truly delicious hot dip, which is also great warm, or room
temp.

The seeded crackers I used in the video were great, but they’re
a little on the pricey side, especially when purchased at the fancy cheese
shop, so one of these days I need to show you how to make your own. Unless we
all get rich betting on the game, using my guaranteed chicken wing bone method.
In that case, we’ll continue to buy the crackers. I really hope you give this a
try soon. Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

I’m still trying to figure out how this video for super
deluxe steak nachos ended up being over nine minutes long. I’ll blame the fact
that I showed you how to do the steak and faux refried beans, but still, I
always feel a little uneasy whenever we go past seven or eight minutes. Also, I
don’t get overtime.

Be that as it may, this is one of my all time favorite party
foods, and I’ve wanted to show you my version for a long time. As you may have
heard, the Super Bowl is just a few weeks away, and this should get serious
consideration when formulating your snack line-up.

Feel free to cook your meat medium-rare, or less, but as I
mention in the video, I think medium works best if you’re using the recommended
skirt steak, or flap meat. These cuts have a beautiful, beefy flavor, which, in
my experience, is only maximized if cooked to a certain point.

Even though the meat is reheated when we melt the cheese, I
still think medium is the way to go, and not just flavor-wise. I think the
texture is better as well. These cuts are a little on the chewy side, which is
accentuated if cooked rare. Having said that, whether you used raw, or
completely well-done beef, you’re still going to be thrilled with the results. I
still hope you give these super deluxe steak nachos a try soon. Enjoy!

Friday, January 22, 2016

I have always just called these chorizo steamed clams, "Spanish Clams," since it seems like there’s some variation of this on every Spanish restaurant
menu I’ve ever seen.

What better evidence for a dishes’ deliciousness than that? Not
to generalize about an entire culture, but the Spanish simply don’t put
non-amazing things on every menu.

Sometimes they use beer, or white wine, or sherry; and many
varieties of clams can be used; but the common denominator is the spicy,
Spanish-style chorizo. Using such a flavorful sausage is sort of like cheating,
and one of the main reasons the ingredient list is so short.

Speaking of which, you can really adapt this kind
of thing to your tastes. Cilantro instead of parsley, leeks instead of onions, and
mussels instead of clams, just to name a few. Just make sure you have plenty of
grilled, or toasted bread around to soak up the glorious broth. I really hope you give
this a try soon. Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

As promised, here is our method for making your own sandwich
rolls at home, and while “shocked” may be a bit strong, I think many people will
be surprised at just how simple these are. Like, four ingredient simple. Sure
you have to wait a few hours while it rises, but that gives you time to decide
what sandwich to make.

Besides the super obvious reasons why these are better than the
ones from the supermarket, you can make them the exact size and shape you want.
We’ve all been there…you find the perfect sausage at the store, but the rolls
in the bakery dept. are either too short, or too long, leaving you angry and
disillusioned.

Like I said in the video, you can pretty much use this
technique with any yeast dough, and it just depends on what you’re going for. Speaking
of which, a viewer who couldn’t wait for this recipe to make banh mi, used our
no-knead beer bread dough, and reported they had great success.

This recipe is based on our French baguette, but if you
happen to have luck using another one of our recipes, please let us know! I
hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Monday, January 18, 2016

Friday, January 15, 2016

I’ll never forget my first real bánh mì. It was here in San
Francisco, at a place called Saigon Sandwich, and I remember thinking to
myself, this just isn’t one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had to eat, but
one of the best things, period.

Not only do we get amazing contrasts in flavor, and texture,
but also the temperature difference between the crisp, warm, meat-filled roll,
and cool, crunchy vegetables, makes this so much fun to eat.

By the way, the secret sauce should be just sweet enough to
temporarily put out the fire from the sriracha and jalapenos. Which reminds me,
everything here is “to taste.” The amounts below are just guidelines, and by
guidelines, I mean guesses.

If you’re not into our roasted 5-spice pork for this
sandwich, you can pretty much use any of your favorite sandwich ingredients.
Ham is great, as is smoked turkey, and while I’ve not tried it yet, I bet many
of our grilled chicken breast recipes would be stellar here. Just don’t forget
the pate!

I prefer the smooth, buttery type of pate, and you don’t
have to get to fancy. That one from the cheese shop, made with pork and chicken
livers is just fine. Stay tuned for the French rolls video coming soon, and at
some point very soon, I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

* To make the pickled daikon and carrot, use equal parts and
toss in enough seasoned rice vinegar to coat well. Let sit for 15-20 minutes,
or until the veggies get slightly limp. Drain and use, or refrigerate. If using
regular vinegar, add a pinch of salt and sugar.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Now that it’s been posted, I can admit this easy, pan-roasted
pork loin was just an elaborate tease for a video I’ve wanted to post for
years; the Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich! If you’ve had one, you’ll fully understand
my excitement. If you haven’t, do not miss the next video.

Having admitted my true motivation, I will also say that this
very tasty technique is impressive enough in its own right. The misleadingly
simple marinade produces big flavor, and by splitting/scoring the pork, we not
only have something that absorbs the seasoning quickly, but also cooked faster,
and more uniformly.

I’ve been trying to get you to buy that bottle of Asian fish
sauce for years now, and maybe this will be the recipe that does it. That really
is a key here, as is the Chinese 5-spice powder. Mine included cinnamon, ginger,
anise seed, fennel seed, and clove; but this can vary brand to brand. Whatever
you find should work, otherwise, just combine equal parts of what I just
listed, and you’ve made you own.

I think this particular marinade works great for a 30-minute
soak at room temp. Just keep turning it over every so often, and that’s it, you’re
ready to cook. Or simply wrap and keep in the fridge for 2-3 hours, or even up
to overnight. So, stay tuned for the upcoming bánh mì video, and in
the meantime, I really hope you give pan-roasted pork loin a try soon. Enjoy!

Friday, January 8, 2016

While virtually unknown compared to most other popular
fried party snacks, these shrimp toasts are easy to make, and every bit as
delicious, and addictive, as those Buffalo wings, or jalapeño poppers. Well, all
that’s about to change.

Nobody goes to a friend’s house to watch the game, and
expects to see a plate of these crispy-on-one-side, soft-and-savory-on-the-other-side
treats, but after a few of you make these, and word
spreads, I’m sure it will just be a matter of time.

Speaking of spreads, since we apply the shrimp mixture raw,
it’s not like you can dip a finger in to taste it. So, to check for seasoning,
especially the salt, you may want to fry a small piece (like during meatball
production), and adjust from there. I added a tiny pinch of salt, but thanks to
the soy, anchovy, and fish sauce, you may not need any.

These are significantly better served warm than cold, so maybe fry
them in batches, and/or keep warm in an oven. And yes, if you don’t do shrimp,
any other raw seafood will work. By the way, I have it on good authority that
these are magnificent served with cold beer, and for that reason alone I hope
you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

There’s something extra satisfying about a recipe like this
one-pot chicken and sausage orzo, where you just basically dump the ingredients
in a pot, and wait until it’s cooked. Sure, you have to stir it a few times, and
it helps if you add stuff in the right order, but for how delicious this comes
out, you’re doing very little actual work.

Having said that, there are a few variables involved, so you
will have to really keep and eye on the pot for the entire 10-15 minutes, or
however long it takes. The size of the orzo “grain” can really vary, so be sure
to check for doneness early, and stop when it’s 95% tender, as it will continue
to soften as you complete the final steps.

I like to keep a little extra broth on the side, in case my
mixture gets too dry, and the pasta is not yet cooked. Just splash some in and
keep on stirring. On the other hand, if your pasta is cooked and there is a
little too much liquid, well, that’s life. You’ll just be enjoying an extra
“saucy” dish that day.

Of course this will work with countless combos of sausage,
veggies, and other small-sized pastas, so go forth and multiply. By the way, the
nice thing about using a very flavorful sausage, like a spicy Italian, is that
most of the seasoning is done for you. Or, go with fresh ground meat, and you
can flavor it any way you want. No matter what you use, I hope you give this a
try soon. Enjoy!

Monday, January 4, 2016

Saturday, January 2, 2016

I hope you all enjoyed a very nice holiday, and relatively painless New Year's Eve. Michele and I have been in San Diego to attend her sister's wedding, but we're returning tonight, and ready to get back to work. If you can call what I do work, that is.

We're looking forward to uploading some brand new videos this week, and to make up for being away, I promise not to post any videos of me dancing at the wedding reception. You can't un-see something like that. Stay tuned!